Every year over 4 million Aussies are struck down with food poisoning, but early research is showing that current cases are down by about a third compared to this time last year.
“We’re really hoping that people have developed better hygiene habits through COVID-19,” said Julian Cox, Associate Professor of Food Microbiology at UNSW.
“We also know that a lot of food poisoning occurs in what we call the food service sector.
“That includes our own home when we are preparing ready-to-eat food, but also eating out at cafes and restaurants.
“Part of the reason cases have gone down could be because people are doing more at home and doing that well – they haven’t been exposed to food poisoning as much as under normal circumstances.
“But again, it’s perhaps also the development of good habits, particularly handwashing, and that’s rolled into good food safety practices as well.”
Food safety tips
Undercooked chicken is a common cause of food poisoning, with people often making the mistake of simply checking its colour or texture as a way to assess its doneness.
“When it comes to meat, we need to remember it’s a raw flesh food and there could be bad bugs there,” Cox said.
“We need to work cleanly, so certainly washing our hands before we start and after handling the high-risk material before we handle other ingredients.
“We also need to think carefully about the old rules of time and temperature.
“If we are cooking it, cook it well and cook it thoroughly to eliminate the organisms that may be associated with the high-risk protein component of the dish.
“Once we have made the dish, keep it hot, serve it quickly, and if we’re not going to serve it immediately, keep it hot and out of the danger zone, which is five to 60 degrees.
“And then, once we have finished the meal and we have leftovers, get those in the fridge as quickly as possible so we get it cold and keep it cold, and store it for maybe two or three days if we are going to use the leftovers quickly.
“If we don’t think we will eat the leftovers quickly, get it back into the freezer for longer-term storage.”
What about slow-cooked foods?
“Again it’s about making sure that the cook is thorough so that any bugs through that long, slow but hot cook are eliminated,” Cox said.
“Particularly if you’re going to cook in bulk, make sure that you store that product in smaller containers so you can reduce the temperature and get it as cold as possible, as quickly as possible.”
Is it okay to cook when sick?
Obviously, sometimes cooking while you’re sick can’t be avoided, especially if you live alone – but if you’re worried about putting other people in your household at risk, let someone else take the reins.
“Don’t be too clever with it – keep your cooking simple and it’ll be easier to avoid risks,” Cox said.
“With takeaway, we need to think about getting it into the house as quickly as possible – and eat what you want as quickly as possible.
“Again, with the leftovers, make sure that you get those refrigerated as quickly as possible.”
Source: 7news
